Spare Air

[trucker girl]

I am by no means an expert but I guess I don't see why people are "against" Spare Air.

I can see how it would be stupid to expect to rely on it or to plan to use it- that's just dumb. But for a safe diver who dives with a safe buddy- why is there harm in merely HAVING one? What if it did give you the extra few breaths you need to get to your buddy- or if you are ascending and taking your safety stop- if it gets you to the surface?

I don't plan on diving to the depths you're talking about- 130 or even close. When I'm diving at 20 feet in the quarry, I have my gauges in my hand (also works to keep it from floating around and hitting stuff) and I check it often. Very often. Maybe too often- but is there any such thing as too often?

I plan to use my Spare Air in Hawaii. Check that- I don't plan to use it, but I do plan to carry it with me. Someone else posted on this board (although I believe this was regarding an actual pony bottle) "I hope it's the worst money I ever spent." I agree- because the GOAL is to NEVER use it- and I hope I don't. But I can't possibly guarantee that I'll never use it.

And if the choice is between having it, looking like an idiot, and never needing it vs. not having it and having needing those 3 extra breaths or whatever it works out to... I'll take looking like an idiot any day...

 

[Thalassamania]

I am by no means an expert but I guess I don't see why people are "against" Spare Air.

Then I suggest that you reread the thread, it's been rather clearly explained.

I don't plan on diving to the depths you're talking about- 130 or even close. When I'm diving at 20 feet in the quarry, I have my gauges in my hand (also works to keep it from floating around and hitting stuff) and I check it often. Very often. Maybe too often- but is there any such thing as too often?

At 20 feet you hardly need a backup, at the depth a CESA is your best bet.

I plan to use my Spare Air in Hawaii. Check that- I don't plan to use it, but I do plan to carry it with me. Someone else posted on this board (although I believe this was regarding an actual pony bottle) "I hope it's the worst money I ever spent." I agree- because the GOAL is to NEVER use it- and I hope I don't. But I can't possibly guarantee that I'll never use it.

Please enjoy carrying it, just don't expect it to do what it is billed to do. Recognize it's limitations.

And if the choice is between having it, looking like an idiot, and never needing it vs. not having it and having needing those 3 extra breaths or whatever it works out to... I'll take looking like an idiot any day...

But if your were carrying a 30 cube pony you'd never have to worry about it.

 

[trucker girl]

Thalassamania...

I don't even expect to use it. I'm sorry if me saying I plan to TAKE it offends you so much.

And I DID read the thread. Thoroughly. I just disagree.

And the post right before mine asked for an argument FOR Spare Air. Maybe that's why I posted.

 

[ItsBruce]

where do you carry it Bruce? Do you have the big one or the small one?

I've started carrying it on the right side chest strap, just above the octo.

I can hold my breath for better than to 2 minutes at rest. I have not tried holding it at depth and swimming for my buddy, close though he may be, but I suspect that in the absence of some compounding factor, I can hold it long enough to reach my buddy. I'm pretty confident that if I had just taken an inhale, I could do a 35 foot cesa 95 of 100 times. But I can't say which 95 those would be. And I can't be certain I'll have just inhaled when something goes wrong. And, I'll go back to golf before I start carrying a pony of any size as a matter of course. I recognize a Spare Air is no substitute for a good buddy or a pony at depth or in a penetration or when deco limits are exceeded. I'm not even sure it is a good substitute for a well executed cesa. But, I'm going to carry it. Period. BTW: for those who worry about cost effectiveness, you can borrow my golf clubs because diving is not something you should be doing. Sorry.

 

[Thalassamania]

Thalassamania...
I don't even expect to use it. I'm sorry if me saying I plan to TAKE it offends you so much.

Doesn't offend me at all, please ... do as you wish.

And I DID read the thread. Thoroughly. I just disagree.

That's your God given right.

And the post right before mine asked for an argument FOR Spare Air. Maybe that's why I posted.

An argument for a three cubic foot reserve system would have been interesting to all of us.

 

[TheRedHead]

Spare Air is a dead horse that has been beaten to powder on scubaboard. This thread from 2001

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=958

defends it as an enhanced CESA. I've thought about in the past and the only use I can come with it is the potential for a few breaths in order to get a seperated diver to his/her buddy, but I've never tested this theory.

 

[HowardE]

Spare Air is a dead horse that has been beaten to powder on scubaboard.

 

[Darnold9999]

I have now heard arguments for everything from "who needs a pony" through to wouldn't dive without a slung 40. At some point you have to evaluate the kind of diving YOU do - figure out how much air YOU need as a secondary source 0 to whatever and make your own decision.

Lots of sources for figuring out how much air it takes to get from a specific depth to the surface. How much of a safety factor are YOU comfortable with and how much risk are YOU willing to take. This (IMHO) is the unknown factor. It is very difficult to accuratly estimate the actual risk we take diving. It seems pretty safe, everyone tells us it is safe, and then everyone else tells us that if we don't do X (fill in your particular hobby horse here) we are certainly going to die.

Just my particlar hobby horse

Just had an instructor tell me that he wouldn't do the solo course unless I carried a slung 40. (He has never dived with me and this was the only issue between us outside that he was quite happy to do the course) His right, my right to pass. I take advice and instruction, I make the ultimate call based on an evaluation of the risks and my tolerance for those risks.

 

[erparamedic]

Good grief, thalassamania....

Don't CRUCIFY Trucker Girl for giving her opinion and/or uses of spare air. You've ripped her apart for no reason. She gives valid reasons for having one. I bet at one point or another... in your 3000+ dive history, you've carried one too... and if you haven't, I'd bet you've probably thought about carrying one.

Really... you gave some very rude responses to her.

 

[Diver Dennis]

I thought his answers were quite civil and to the point, I don't think he was being mean.